Without Expectations
by Caitlin51
Summary: A mysterious mission leaves Ward and Simmons with a lot of time together - what could possibly go wrong? BioSpecialist
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is my first fanfiction - please review! Also, I don't own anything...sadly..._

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><p>"Alright, team. Move out!" At Coulson's order, Ward adjusted his gun belt with one gloved hand and nodded in Simmons's direction. Rushing over to him, she smoothed flyaway wisps of hair out of her face with a nervous hand.<p>

"Let's go." His curt command did nothing to ease the worried look on her face.

"Right," she breathed. "Go. Yes."

Sighing to himself, he attempted a comforting tone of voice, "it's going to be fine, Simmons. Routine mission - you are just along for analytics."

Before he had even finished the sentence, she was nodding decisively - it looked like she was trying to convince herself more than him. "I know that," running her hand along her arms, she muttered, "just routine. Field work."

"Ward, Simmons," Coulson's voice interrupted their conversation. "You have to leave. Now."

Swinging into action, Ward smoothly climbed into the driver's seat of the black sedan parked by the plane and waited until Simmons had settled herself beside him before he started the car.

"Seatbelts. Safety first," Simmons said, flashing him a nervous grin.

He rolled his eyes, carefully facing away from her so that she wouldn't see the gesture. But he put on the safety restraint.

"So…" Simmons started to presumably ask a question about their destination, but Ward held up one hand to quiet her as he pulled away, leaving Coulson in the distance.

"Before you ask, I don't know much more than you do," he said, masking the annoyance in his voice with a steely tone.

"Then what do you know? Because I know nothing, not even where we are going or what materials I need." Her accent clearly conveyed her distaste at being kept in the dark; Ward could empathize with that feeling.

The scenery - an evergreen forest - flashed by as Ward stared straight ahead, pondering his response.

…

_"It's top secret, Agent Ward. Above your clearance level." Coulson had shrugged ruefully, then added, "to be honest, above my clearance level too. But Fury specifically requested a field agent and a scientist."_

_Ward raised his eyebrows. He wasn't one to question orders, but the vague details and the strange situation made him unusually anxious. "Why Simmons?"_

_"It was either her or Fitz, and apparently her biochemistry training will come in handy." Coulson looked Ward directly in the eyes. "I hesitate to send you two off without back-up, but I can't fight these orders - they come straight from the top."_

_"Not to complain, but is Simmons up for this sort of field work?" It was unreasonable to expect an answer to the question, but he felt it necessary to express his concerns._

_Not bothering to refute his statement, Coulson replied, " Simmons is a professional - she will be able to cope, I'm sure, with your help. You leave today."_

_"On that note of confidence," drawled Ward, "I had better tell Simmons to pack."_

_"Yes, I think you had better. Good luck, Agent Ward." Holding out his hand, Coulson waited for Ward to shake it in a gesture of friendship. Turning to go, Ward looked back as Coulson added one more statement: "And take care of Simmons."_

_"Yes sir."_

…

"Ward? Ward, are you listening to me?" The British accent broke through Ward's thoughts, reminding him that she was still waiting for an answer.

"I have no details, but the GPS is programmed to take us to our location, where we will wait for more instructions."

Obviously disappointed at his response, Simmons leaned back against her seat and crossed her arms. A moment of silence reigned, then she asked, "How long until we get there?"

Fighting an exasperated sigh at all her questions, he responded, "No clue."

"Then," she folded her long legs under her body and shifted away from him, "I'm taking a nap. Try not to crash."

Grasping the steering wheel tighter, he glanced at the GPS. _I hope we get there soon._

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><p><em>Please review!<em>


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Please review because reviews make me happy and happiness makes me want to write instead of be productive…_

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><p>A sharp decrease in speed woke Simmons abruptly. They had turned off of the highway onto a small road leading into the forest. "Mmm...are we almost there?"<p>

"I think so." He didn't turn to look at her.

"Great. So, have we received any more instructions? Helpful hints?"

"I would have let you know."

Glaring at him even though he probably didn't notice, she resigned herself to silence. And insatiable curiosity about the top-secret mission. Though conversation was evidently discouraged, it didn't stop her thoughts. _Why didn't Coulson brief us before we left? It's strange - he is usually so careful about planning for missions._ Examining Ward's handsome profile, she mused,_ And why is Ward even more taciturn than usual? There must be something he's not telling me. Something that's bothering him._

"This is it," stopping the car, Ward ripped off his seatbelt and was out the door before Simmons even had time to take in their surroundings.

"Well, it's not much, now is it?" She commented as she stepped out of the sedan more slowly, shutting the door behind her. The scene in front of them gave little in the way of clues - there was a small wooden cabin that looked slightly rundown and the rest was just forest as far as the eye could see. The little dirt path ended at the cabin. "What could we possibly have to be doing out here? It's the middle of nowhere!"

Ward grunted, but she could see that he was just as confused and displeased as she was about their current circumstances. "Grab your stuff - looks like this is home." Walking towards the back of the vehicle, she heard him add quietly under his breath, "at least for now."

Realizing that this was no time to argue, Simmons followed his lead and grabbed the bag containing her personal items as well as a couple easily portable analyst tools. _Oh gosh, I hope there is running water._

Inside, the cabin was only slightly nicer than it had appeared from a distance. There was a small living room, a bathroom with, thankfully, running water, a cramped kitchen, and a small bedroom.

"I'll go back and get your equipment while you set your stuff down in the bedroom," Ward said and promptly exited the small building, leaving his bag and some equipment on the floor of the living room.

_Alright, Jemma_, she told herself, setting her bag on the creaky bed mattress,_ this is going to be fun_. _ Top secret mission, an abandoned cabin, no clue what we're doing…_ With a groan, she flopped down on the mattress next to her suitcase and covered her face with her hands, indulging in a brief pity-party. Her whining was cut short by the sharp screech of the door - Ward was back with the instruments that Coulson had allowed her to bring with for the mission.

"Simmons?" He called, "where do you want all your tech?"

Taking a deep breath, she replied, "I'm coming. Don't jolt it too much!" Arriving back in the main room, she gazed at the assortment of equipment she had chosen to bring - a little bit of this, a little bit of that. It was difficult to know what she would need given the circumstances. Amidst all the chaos stood Ward, his muscles straining with the effort of carrying her portable chemical analysis workbench. _ Hmm. Muscles._

"Well?"

It took a second for Simmons's flustered brain to process the question. When it finally kicked in, she felt her face heat up. _Jemma, no. That's Ward. We don't... No._ "There. There is good."

Raising his eyebrows, he questioned her, "Here? In the middle of the living room?"

Unable to back down now, she replied, "Yes, it...it gives me plenty of space to work."

"If you insist," he commented, somehow managing to shrug his broad shoulders despite the heavy weight in his arms. "Would you mind moving some of this so I can put this down?" Wordlessly rushing into motion, Simmons pushed aside the clutter so that there was space for the workbench. "Great," he set the bench down with a grunt and only a slight thud.

"So," Simmons clasped her hands together in front of her, "what's the plan?"

"I'm going for a run - I want to be familiar with the surroundings."

"Oh, okay. I'll just stay here and, well, organize," gazing at the assortment of equipment surrounding them, she sighed.

A small smirk graced Ward's lips before he nodded goodbye and stepped out of the cabin, closing the creaky door behind him.

Simmons set out to start on accomplishing the task in front of her - she wanted to have it cleaned up before Ward returned. Not to impress him, though. Just so he wouldn't trip and break something delicate and irreplaceable.

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><p><em>To be continued...probably soon because this is much more fun than school.<em>


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: So, this is a bit of a filler chapter to really get the plot going, sorry! Hopefully it is still enjoyable =)._

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><p><em>Breathe, Grant<em>, he reminded himself as he jogged through the forest, keeping a sharp eye focused on his surroundings for surveillance purposes. They were stationed at the edge of a small valley, right at the base of the mountain that loomed high above them into the clear sky. It was a nice day, so it wasn't long before he was covered in perspiration from his exertion. Pausing to stretch his warm muscles, he placed one hand against the rough bark of a pine tree for balance. Just as he was about to resume his run, he felt his satellite SHIELD-issue cell phone start to vibrate in his pocket. Glancing at the blank caller ID on the screen, he smiled slightly in satisfaction - an encrypted number. _A debriefing - it's about time._

"This is Agent Ward," he said expectantly, holding the phone to his ear.

There was a pause on the other end of the line before a familiar voice sounded through the receiver, "Agent Ward, this is Nick Fury."

Blinking in surprise, Ward kept his outward cool, but inside he was shocked. _Director Fury himself?_

Continuing, Fury said, "SHIELD is grateful for your willingness to accept this mission with limited amount of information we provided."

There was a pause, so Ward replied, "Of course - I'm only doing my job. If I may ask, why all the secrecy, sir?"

Sighing, Fury hesitated, then replied, "We have detected an unusual, yet seemingly harmless type of radiation coming from an area near your current location. We believe that it merits further investigation."

"That doesn't explain the need for secrecy, though," Ward pointed out, still curious.

"Based solely on preliminary results without actual physical samples, we think that there may be great potential for this...substance as a power source. Before our suspicions are confirmed, we didn't want word of this getting out to just anyone, as that would potentially jeopardize the material."

Finding himself nodding in agreement with Fury's logic, Ward asked, "so you want Agent Simmons and I to analyze this material and report our findings?"

"Exactly. I'm sending the coordinates to your phone. Good luck."

"Thank you sir," hanging up the phone, Ward started back to the cabin. He had to brief Simmons and get out to the location Fury had sent.

…

The old wooden door squeaked loudly as he pulled it open a little while later, revealing a living room practically overflowing with SHIELD equipment. However, unlike when he had left, it was now all neatly arranged with a narrow path through the various objects.

"Impressive, Simmons," he commented, nodding approvingly at the women sitting on the only clear end of the couch, waiting for him to get back. Or so he hoped, at least.

Smiling winningly up at him, she replied, "Thank you. It was quite a lot of work, actually. How was your run?"

Pleased that she seemed happy to see him, he said, "Informative, actually." Approaching the couch, he squeezed in between her and a large black box with wires poking out of the top. Only because he was tired from his run though, not because he wanted to be near her - or so he kept telling himself. "I got a call from Fury."

"Oh?" Her eyebrows rose a fraction and her milky-brown eyes widened slightly in interest. However, that small action coupled with her close proximity only served to distract Ward from the conversation. "Well…?" she prompted, still looking at him.

"Uh…" searching for his train of thought, Ward hesitated. "Oh, right. Fury". Proceeding to detail his recent conversation, he analysed her reaction. She didn't seem particularly nervous about the unknown material, which was good. Bravery was hardly something that she struggled with; he admired that about her. Finishing, he said, "so our job is to analyze this material and its potential, then send the results back to HQ before it shows up on anyone else's radar."

"Sounds simple enough," she commented, starting to stand, "why don't we go take a look?"

Reaching out before he had a chance to think, he placed a hand on her arm, stopping her from rising. Her questioning brown eyes looked into his, captivating him briefly.

Removing his hand, he cleared his throat, then said roughly, "we should wait until tomorrow - we don't want to be walking out there in the dark."

"Yes, I agree. How silly of me."

"No," glancing at her again, he smiled slightly, "I understand - you are as eager as I am to see it."

"I suppose," she rose from the couch and he didn't stop her, "Anyway, I think I'll see if I can get some rest."

"Me too. You take the bedroom, I'll crash here," he said, indicating the cluttered living room.

"Oh, no," her hand rose to her mouth in dismay, "I didn't think! No, you take the bedroom. I can clear away…"

"It's fine, Simmons," he interrupted. "Go get some sleep." Not permitting further discussion, he readied himself for bed. Tomorrow was going to be an important day.

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><p><em>Please review!<em>


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Sorry that this took a while, but my beta and I have been busy with exams (unfortunately, they have to be a higher priority than writing…). Anyway, I've been appreciating the reviews!_

Her eyes flew open, quickly adjusting to the grey light coming through the dirty window. The noise started again - the high-pitched beeping that had startled her awake. _Right. My alarm._Groaning, she rolled over and slide the ipod alarm to 'off' then forced herself to sit up before she was able to go back to sleep. It was 4am - Ward had wanted them to get an early start so that they could spend all their daylight hours checking out the mysterious readings Fury had briefed them about. Running a hand through her hair, she smoothed it the best she could before finally swinging her feet onto the floor, grimacing at the chill. She dressed quickly - judging by the amount of noise coming from the kitchen area, Ward was up and eager to get going.

Exiting the bedroom dressed in practical hiking clothes, she was greeted by the appetizing smell of frying meat. "Morning, Ward." The man was standing in the kitchen, ingredients scattered around, apparently cooking.

He turned from the stove at the sound of her voice. "You're up," he observed, glancing at her. "I'm making breakfast."

"Oh, can I help?"

"Almost done." Opening one of the cupboards, he pulled two plates down and proceeded to pile them with toast, bacon, and eggs. Bringing them to the table, he set one plate in front of Simmons and sat down opposite her. "Hope you're hungry."

"Positively ravenous." Simmons replied, eyeing the buttery toast. Ward was actually a decent cook and she certainly appreciated the gesture. Swallowing her bite, she asked, "Where did you learn to cook? This is good."

He shrugged. "I picked up a bit here and there. It's something I actually enjoy, when I get around to it."

"Never would have thought…" She trailed off as she realized that she was saying that thought out loud.

"...that I would like something like cooking?" Finishing her sentence, his gaze scrutinized her and she immediately felt remorseful.

"Well, yes, I suppose. But I didn't mean…! It's just that you are trained in combat, and…" She felt her face heat up and gave up on trying to explain.

Evidently realizing that she had not meant any offense, he said, "There's more to me than fighting. And I'm sure that there's more to you than...whatever sciency thing you do... Any other interests aside from work?"

Grateful for the escape and not surprised that he had no clue what she actually did, she started telling him about some of her hobbies as they cleaned up the mess of dishes and food. As they chatted, Simmons found herself laughing and beginning to truly relax around him for the first time. Something between them had changed, she realized, and definitely for the better.

…

"Here it is."

"And it's about time!" Leaning against the side of the cave opening, Simmons fanned herself with one hand. The hike to get to the coordinates had been arduous, to say the least. Even Ward was breathing hard.

He regarded her with amusement. "You look a bit warm," he observed, gesturing to the beads of perspiration glistening on her face.

"Maybe a tad," she laughed. "But I've caught my breath now - let's go check this out."

Starting to step forward into the cave, she was halted by Ward's hand on her arm. Turning to face him, she suddenly realized just how close he was to her - there was only a couple inches between their bodies. "Let me go in first in case it's dangerous." His voice was low and Simmons felt her heart begin to beat faster in response. At the possibility of danger, she told herself, not to Ward. Then Ward walked past her and deeper into the cave, breaking the moment. With no choice but to follow, Simmons gathered her confusing emotions and thrust them into the back of her mind. She'd deal with them later. _Much_ later. "Are you coming?" The question echoed back towards her, so she hurried her pace until she caught up to him.

"Any sign of...well, I don't really know what to say. Anything weird? Alien?" Shining her flashlight around the cave, she was very grateful that Ward had insisted on bringing light with them - she didn't like caves terribly much and pitch-black caves were even worse.

"Not yet - it must be deeper."

"Deeper? Of course," she swallowed, then paused. "I'm just going to get my portable scanner out to check the strength of the radiation, okay?" Then, under her breath, she muttered, "And I hope that it gets stronger towards the nearest exit from this pit…"

"Alright." Reaching out, he took her flashlight from her so that she could swing her backpack off her shoulders and pull out the scanner from the main pouch. "Well?"

Considering the readings, she sighed. "Deeper it is, I guess."

They walked in silence for a couple minutes. With every step, Simmons felt her unreasonable anxiety rise. The flashlight became her lifeline, her knuckles turning white with the strength of her grip. Finally, Ward asked, "Is everything okay? You seem...nervous."

"Nervous? Me? It's the cave," she replied dismissively, though touched that he had noticed. "It might possibly freak me out a tiny bit."

"Just stick close and everything will be fine, I promise." Then he hesitated. "Simmons, do you trust me?"

"The fact that you are asking that makes me extremely uneasy."

With a slight chuckle, he said, "Fair enough. I'm asking you to turn your flashlight off for a minute, though. I think I see something, but the glow of the flashlights might just be playing tricks on me."

She stared at him, trying to keep the panicked horror off her face. "Do you really think that's such a good idea?"

"I'm right here, and it's only for a minute." Moving to stand behind her, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, both of his hands encasing her death grip on the flashlight. _Wait, is Ward...comforting me?_ Having him hold her like that felt so soothing, aside from the panic still lurking in the pit of her stomach. "Ready?"

"No." She held her breath as she flicked the switch off, pressing back into the reassurance of Ward's embrace. She felt him hold her tighter in response. "Anything?" She forced the word out, mostly because she couldn't make her eyes open.

"Yeah, there's definitely something…" she heard him take a deep breath, "Simmons do you see that? That glow?"

Cracking an eyelid open, she realized that Ward was right. There was definitely a soft, greenish glow staving off the darkness. "Yes," she breathed, "that must be what we are here to investigate."

Suddenly the cavern was filled with light as Ward flicked the switch on his flashlight, releasing her and stepping away as he did so. Immediately missing his touch, Simmons started towards where the glow had been, Ward walking beside her. Between her curiosity for this glow and the strong attraction that was growing for Ward, her fear was forgotten. "What the…?" Demanded Ward as they rounded a bend.

"Wow…" Simmons was almost speechless at the sight before her. A huge cavern rose up in front of them, obviously the source of the glow. The walls, floor, ceiling, all were a brilliant phosphorescent green.

"I would say that this is what we were looking for, alright."

_Please review! It reminds me to write, if nothing else. =)_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Look at how quickly I updated! That's the magic of reviews =). Anyway, enjoy!_

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><p>He watched her while she stared, transfixed, at the glowing cavern. As interesting as the phenomenon was, Ward's attention was still divided between the mission and Simmons. Holding her in his arms had been a mistake. One that he was eager to repeat.<p>

"Hand me a chisel - I need to take a sample." The sound of Simmon's crisp accent brought Ward back to reality.

Removing his backpack, he pulled out a fancy SHIELD issue drill and a pair of heavy gloves. "Allow me."

"Go right ahead. But don't let it touch your skin," she cautioned.

Ward grunted agreement as he drilled into the nearest bit of green rock and removed a small piece. "Container?"

"Here." Apparently ready for his request, Simmons thrust a small evidence container at him.

_We work well together_, Ward thought, constantly surprised at the ease of their interaction.

He put the piece of rock in and Simmons snapped the lid on. "Great. Let's go."

Deciding that teasing her about her desire to leave might come off as insensitive, he put his backpack on and started retracing their way back through the cave.

"Is there anything I can do? Anything at all?" The living room had been transformed into a full laboratory in the 10 minutes since they had arrived back at their little cabin, but once the heavy lifting part was over, Ward felt completely useless.

"I'm good." She met his eyes for a moment and flashed him a grin, but then returned to her intense scrutiny of the piece of rock.

"Okay, any results?" She shot him a withering look and he decided to keep his silence.

Sitting down on the couch, he made himself comfortable, resigned to a long wait. There was nothing else to do anyway. _You could think about what happened with Simmons back in the cave_, an obnoxious voice in his head spoke up, _how you held her when she was scared and how you loved the feeling of…_ Cutting the voice off before it could continue, Ward deliberately shifted so that Simmons was no longer in his line of sight.

She made him feel uncomfortable - like he wasn't completely in control of his own blasted emotions. And what's worse is that she made him enjoy leaving his strict boundaries, at least in the moment. _And that scares you, doesn't it?_ Again, Ward refused to listen to the voice. Relaxing into the ratty couch, he closed his eyes.

…

"Ward?"

Opening his eyes slowly in response to the soft voice, he was greeted by the sight of Simmons's clear brown eyes peering intently down at him. She was close; close enough that he could just sit up and kiss… _No_. He told himself sternly, mentally reprimanding himself. Instead, he asked, "Did you find anything?"

"I think so!"

Easily able to see that she was excited about her findings, he asked, "Well?"

"Well, it's impossible, of course. That's why SHIELD wanted us here - this isn't possible on earth." Seeing his baffled expression, she clarified, "Sorry, I'm rambling. I think I found a stable isotope of a previously undiscovered heavy metal. I mean, we suspected the possibility of its existence, but not in a stable form! It shouldn't exist. It can't."

"Wait, but if it's stable, it shouldn't be emitting radiation…?"

Teasingly, she replied, "Your knowledge of chemistry is impressive. But wrong."

Returning to the topic at hand, he asked, "Should I call Director Fury and let him know?"

He pulled out his phone, but Simmons was already shaking her head. "Not yet. I want to get a larger sample before I jump to conclusions."

"Is Fury right then? Massive destructive capabilities? Alien origin?"

"Too soon to tell," she hesitated, "but I suspect that he is correct."

Shooting her his most charming grin, he commented, "Great! I've been wanting to take another trip to that creepy cave."

Swatting his arm playfully, she made a face. "Great. The cave. Don't remind me."

"You'll be fine - I'll be right there with you." Before she could respond, he jumped off the couch and strode over to the kitchen. _Where had that come from?_ He demanded silently, unnerved by his own comments. _Stop flirting and focus on the mission._ Watching Simmons return to her analysis, he shook his head, frustrated. He knew that these emotions weren't going to leave him alone as long as he was around Simmons. And maybe he didn't want to fight them anymore. _Maybe._

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><p><em>Please review! I appreciate your support =).<em>


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Thank you all for your fabulous reviews – they inspire me to keep writing! Also, a disclaimer: I tend to be a melodramatic romantic. Prepare yourself!_

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><p><em>I still don't like this, <em>Simmons thought nervously as the darkness enveloped her. Ward led the descent through the cave towards the Impossible Cavern, as she had taken to calling it since her tentative discovery. Having Ward here with her certainly helped, though. Without him, she didn't know if she would be brave enough to make it.

"You doing alright?"

"So far, so good," she responded weakly, but without shaking. His concern touched her, more deeply than she let him see.

"Great. We're almost there."

She had no idea how he judged that, but she trusted his estimate. They walked in silence for the rest of the path, Simmons noting gratefully that Ward looked back to check on her periodically. Approaching the final bend, she could see the distinctive glow ahead of her and rushed ahead of Ward, eager to engross herself in her work and forget the thousands of tonnes of rocks suspended over her head. "Wha…?" Stopping dead, she stared in shock at the sight before her.

"Simmons?" Ward was at her side in an instant, his gun already drawn and at the ready. "What is it?" Then he, too, stopped and lowered his weapon. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know." The last time they had been here, the glowing rock had been confined just to the immense cavern ahead. Now, however, the rock at the entrance to the cavern was also displaying the same signs of radiation.

"But it's spread."

Nodding, Simmons slowly started forward. "I know. But how? I'm convinced that it must be alien origin now - nothing on earth could initiate this kind of chemical reaction on this scale."

"If you are right," commented Ward, keeping pace with her, "then there must be some sort of source. Something that started the reaction."

They reached the start of the glow - they could still see into the cavern ahead. "I think you are right. Did you bring rope?"

"What?" Obviously taken aback at her request, he stared at her. "You don't mean to go down there?"

"I don't see much other choice if we want to find the source. It's clearly not up here." Masking her fear with actions, she swung off her backpack and pulled out gloves. Before she could put them on, she felt Ward's large hands on her shoulders, swinging her around to face him.

"Are you crazy? Simmons, this is not what you are trained for!" His eyes were blazing and she couldn't tear hers away from their intensity. She also found it harder to breath, all of a sudden.

"Erm," her sense of reason escaped her for a moment; staring up into Ward's handsome features made it extremely hard to think clearly.

"I'll go." With that statement, Ward released her and moved towards the edge.

"Excuse me," she snapped, irritated at the effect he had on her, "It's not in your training to analyze this! You need me to come with you."

"I said no," he turned to face her, his expression tightly controlled.

"It's a good thing that you are _not _my superior, then."

"I can stop you," he pointed out, his voice rising, "you can't overpower me."

Frustration coloured her voice. "Why are you being so stubborn?"

"Because you could get hurt!" He roared at her, then immediately turned away, his fists clenched. "And I could never forgive myself." The last sentence was softer, but he remained with his back to her.

Coming up behind him, she laid a hand softly on his arm, feeling how tense his muscles were. "I'll be fine, I promise. You can guide me every step of the way."

"It's just the thought of you…" He trailed off, closing his eyes. "But I know that you're right."

"I'm touched, Ward," attempting to lighten the mood, she said, "I'll race you to the bottom, then." He didn't respond, but he did glare at her before starting to gather the equipment they would need for the climb. It wasn't really that far and the slope wasn't terribly steep, or so Simmons kept telling herself to keep the panic down.

"We're set." Standing from where he had been anchoring the SHIELD harness system, he reshouldered his pack and approached where she was standing near the edge.

"Great! This will be fun." She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince - Ward or herself.

"Sure. Just follow _all _my instructions."

Rolling her eyes, she started to respond when Ward suddenly stepped in very close. With one hand gently placed on her cheek, he tilted her face up towards his. Unconsciously, she closed her eyes and leaned in, feeling her body press against his muscled chest. Then his lips captured hers for a brief moment in one of the tenderest kisses Simmons had even experienced. When he pulled away, she felt light-headed and couldn't stop smiling dreamily up at him as he held her there. "Be _very _careful," he muttered.

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><p><em>Please review! Also, if you are a OUaT fan, you should check out my beta's drabble series "A Lovely Trick" by therealshawn – I beta it, so I know it's fabulous!<em>


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Yay! I finally got enough reviews that I feel validated in posting the next chapter! Thanks for all your support =)._

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><p>"About three inches down and to the left," Ward instructed Simmons, guiding her to the next handhold on the journey down to the bottom of the cavern.<p>

"Got it! No problem." Her voice shook slightly and he reminded himself that she didn't really like heights, though she wouldn't want to admit it in front of him.

"Easy does it," he cautioned as they progressed. He didn't want her slipping. Though he had harnessed her in, there was only so much that the harness could do if she slipped. It would prevent her from falling straight to the bottom, but it wouldn't stop her from swinging and slamming against the rough rock face. Needless to say, Ward was tense. The rest of the climb seemed to stretch on forever, but they reached the bottom safely.

"That wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting," Simmons commented as he helped her down the last couple inches until her feet touched the rock bottom.

"Careful!" The warning came a second too late, and Ward caught her neatly as her trembling legs were unable to support her weight immediately.

Surprised, she looked up into his eyes, her brown-eyes wide. "Oh," she breathed as he set her back on her feet, "Thank you."

"Don't worry about it." Ward said, his hands lingering on her waist for a second longer than necessary. "Are you ready to investigate?"

"Yes, I think I'm good." By unspoken consent, both of them headed towards the center of the cavern - it made sense that the source would be in the middle of the phosphorescence.

As they walked, Ward started to notice something - the rock beneath his feet was feeling progressively less stable as they approached the middle of the large cavern floor. Looking down, he commented, "Simmons, the floor. It's getting sandier as we approach the source."

Immediately, she knelt down and examined the thin layer of sand covering the rock beneath. "You're right. Sand. But how?"

"An impact?"

"Maybe," she said, but sounded doubtful, "It's really the only feasible explanation, but how could there have been an impact large enough to create this much sand without bringing down the entire mountain?"

"I guess we can just add it to the list of unexplainable phenomenon, then." That comment elicited a rueful laugh from Simmons as she stood up and continued forward.

"It sure is pretty, though," she said, her tone thoughtful, "like millions of twinkling stars. Some of the prettiest sand I've ever seen - figures it would be down in a cave where no one can enjoy it."

Raising his eyebrows, Ward grunted noncommittally. It was just sand. Who cares if it glowed in response to the green light emanating from the rock? But if Simmons liked it...maybe it was beautiful after all.

Suddenly, he felt Simmons's hand on his arm. "Do you see that? I bet that's our source!" She sped up into a run.

Squinting through the dim glow, he saw a shape rising in the distance. Breaking into a light jog, he caught up to Simmons and kept pace until they were feet away from the tall piece of rock. "I'll get a picture." Pulling out his cell phone, he snapped a quick shot of the rock.

"It's glowing more brightly than the rest of the cavern," Simmons observed, walking around it. She was a few inches taller than the rock; Ward judged it to be about five and a half feet tall.

"Yeah. And the sand is much deeper here." In fact, it covered the top of his boots.

"And there's more on top of the rock. I'll dust it off so we can take a sample."

"Good idea. I'll get a vial." He swung his pack off and pulled out a small vial to contain the sample. As he stood, holding it out to hand to Simmons, he saw her reach out with one gloved hand and swipe at the dust on the roughly flat top of the rock. Everything seemed to slow down, yet happen more quickly than Ward could process.

A flash of green light.

A piercing scream.

A shock wave that radiated out from where they stood, slamming into Ward, nearly knocking him over.

Simmons flying through the air.

A dull thud as she landed.

Everything in Ward's vision faded, like the colour was draining out of the world. His heart stopped. A wordless roar burst out of his mouth as he raced, full speed, over to where she lay. She wasn't moving and her body was sprawled awkwardly on the cavern floor, sand coating her bare skin and hair. "Simmons. Jemma. Please be okay." He practically begged her, his voice breaking with the anguish that was consuming him. Kneeling beside her, he pulled off his glove and checked for a pulse, unable to breath himself. When he felt the weak throbbing in her neck, he sighed in relief. _She's alive._

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><p><em>Please review! The faster you review, the sooner I'll post the next chapter...hint hint...<em>


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Thanks for all the amazing reviews! I feel so inspired =). Also, if you are enjoying my writing, I am currently working on a Loki/Sif fic called "An Unknown Thrill" - check it out!_

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><p>"Simmons! Simmons, can you hear me?"<p>

The voice sounded extremely far away, like it was coming through a tunnel, none of the words making sense. Her mind felt foggy. And there was pain. Then the blackness claimed her and she drifted back into unconsciousness.

There was movement. And someone was there, holding her. Moaning slightly, she attempted to rearrange herself better in the stranger's grasp, but the attempt just caused her to black out again.

…

Colours swirled over Simmons's head as she forced her eyes open. Shifting slightly, she heard the creak of springs - she was on a bed. But where? Her memory failing her, she glanced around the dimly lit room as much as possible without reawakening the pain. Someone sat on a chair, his head down. Only Fitz would stay to make sure she was okay. "Fitz?" Her call was weak, but audible.

The figure looked up, pain written clear across his face. "Simmons?" He gasped, sounding relieved.

"Ward?" Confusion coloured her tone. Then she gasped as her memories came rushing back. The cave. The green light. Some sort of shock wave. And Ward. "Wha...what happened?"

"You touched the source in the cave, and it threw you backwards. You are pretty bruised up, but I don't think that you broke anything."

"Then…" Simmons was still unable to think clearly, "How did I get here? Did you carry me all the way to the cabin?"

Looking away, Ward said brusquely, "That's not important. Get some sleep." His face was unreadable, his old mask back up.

"Wait!" She called as he started to leave the room, "Ward. Thank you. For saving me."

Looking back at her, she could see a touch of pain flicker across her face before he responded, "Sure."

The closed quietly behind him, leaving Simmons alone. _What happened? _She thought, feeling hot tears well up in her eyes. Tears that had nothing to do with the dull ache through her body._Things were going so well. Is he mad at me? Or mad that I got hurt? _As distressing as her thoughts were, exhaustion claimed her before she could explore the issue in greater detail.

…

Sunlight streamed in through the small window, waking Simmons up. She felt reasonably rested, despite her discomfort due to the bruises that covered her body from head to toe. A faint knocking sounded at the door. "Come in." Expecting Ward, she fixed a smile to her face. She was going to figure out what was wrong between them and fix it.

"Simmons, can I come in?" The door opened just wide enough for Fitz to poke his head through.

"Fitz! And of course." Painfully, Simmons pushed herself to a sitting position on the bed and patted the spot beside her.

"Feeling any better?" Fitz asked as he came over and sat on the bed next to her.

"A little. I'm conscious, at least. How are you here?"

"Ward called Coulson - we came immediately. Are you sure that you're okay?"

"Nothing broken, according to Ward," she smiled at him, grateful for his concern. "So everyone is here?" She tried to peer out into the cabin, but the door wasn't open wide enough for her to see anything.

"Yep. This is the first time Ward has left your side since the accident, and the rest of us have all been in and out, keeping an eye on you." He flashed her his boyish grin and gave her hand a squeeze. "But Ward ordered that we don't overwhelm you, so one visitor at a time."

"Where is he?" Simmons tried for curious indifference, but she really wanted to know where he was. Needed to know.

"I think he went for a run. Here, I'll let the others come and visit you."

The next little while consisted of short visits from Skye, Coulson, May, then Fitz again. _Still no sign of Ward._

…

That night, consumed with confusion and frustration, Simmons decided to take matters into her own hands. The cabin was quiet - everyone had probably gone to sleep. Apparently, they had pitched tents just outside the cabin for the time being. Swinging her feet over the side of the bed, she winced at the protest from her stiff body. _I probably look like a mess, _she thought wryly, feeling the matted knot of hair at the back of her neck. She finger-combed it the best she could and tried to smooth her rumpled clothes. Finally, she just sighed and gave up. Ward would understand, she hoped. Quietly, she eased open the door and moved through the dark cabin - it was best if no one caught her moving around.  
>"Where do you think you are going?"<p>

Jumping at the unexpected voice coming from the dark living room, she let out a low moan as the movement sent a twinge through her body. "Don't scare me like that!"

Ward materialized out of the darkness, standing just inches from her. His was woodsy and musky and she unconsciously found herself leaning towards him. "Sorry. You should go back to bed."

"Where have you been?" She demanded, hurt at his dismissal. "I've been trying to talk to you, but you're never around."

"What does it matter? You can just go talk to Fitz." The frigid tone in his voice attacked her heart.

"That's what this is about? Fitz?"

"Ugh. No. Why would it be about Fitz?." He sounded disgusted. But not just with her, with himself as well.

"Then what? Ward, I'm really confused."

"It's nothing." He looked like he was about to turn away, but then he paused. Emotions flickered across his face and his jaw was clenched. "No, it's not nothing. I thought we had something, Jemma! We kissed, and I was feeling...but no. The first thing you say after you almost _die _is his name."

"Wait, Ward. Let me explain." The tears started falling, leaving trails of moisture on Simmons's cheeks.

"I don't want to listen - I played the fool, but I'm done now." Striding out of the cabin, Ward shut the door with a loud bang. She could hear his angry footsteps - he was running.

Returning to her room, Simmons curled up on her bed, her arms curled up around her stomach. Her heart was breaking due to a stupid misunderstanding. _And Ward just won't listen to anything you have to say._

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><p><em>Please review! Also, I think there will probably be two chapters left in this fic, so it will be wrapping up in a reasonably short amount of time. Although, I might be persuaded to write a sequel if I have enough people reviewing and asking for one over the last couple chapters...<em>


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: I love reading all the reviews - keep it up! And enjoy =)._

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><p>Ward angrily stirred the soup. The soup he was making for her as an apology for blowing up at her last night. All of the others had left early that morning to go check out the cave, but Ward had just given them directions and told them that he was staying to keep on eye on Simmons. And it was the truth. Even though she had broken his heart last night, he still cared about her and she was still his responsibility, and that irritated him to no end.<p>

_Wait, Ward. Let me explain. _The words kept running through his mind - he couldn't purge the picture of her, near tears. The soup sloshed slightly, splattering his camo apron, as his stirring became more and more rough. For one of the few times in his life, Ward didn't know what to do. He didn't want to drive her away - the opposite, in fact. He wanted to win her back. If she would talk to him after how harsh he was last night.

A creak caused Ward to turn - Simmons was trying to close her door silently. "Sorry," she said, her voice quiet. There were bags beneath her puffy eyes. "I didn't want to disturb you."

"I'm making soup."

"I'm not hungry." Moving towards the door leading out of the cabin, she laid a hand on the handle, starting to turn it.

"Wait." The plea was quiet, but apparently she still heard it, because she stopped.

"Why?"

"Because I made a mistake. I never should have said those things to you. I'm sorry."

She smiled at him, but he could tell that it was forced. "We're fine, Ward." She was a terrible liar.

"Sure. Maybe we're fine." Abandoning the soup, he walked over to her. "But I want more than fine."

Shooting him a pained look, she asked, "Does this mean that you are going to let me explain now?"

Ward let out the breath that he didn't realize he had been holding. "Yes."

Crossing her arms gingerly, she said, "Fitz is my best friend. We have a history of being there for each other and watching out for each other, no matter how late it gets. That's why my first thought was that it was probably him. My recent head trauma probably didn't really help my brain function either, though," she smiled grimly. "And yes, I do love him." Ward felt his heart plummet and he closed his eyes. Then he felt Simmons's hand on his cheek and he opened his eyes so he could watch the emotions in her eyes. "But like a little brother, "she nearly whispered, keeping his gaze. "Nothing more."

"Really?" Ward fought to keep his voice steady and to hide the overwhelming relief he felt.

"Really."

"Then...then, maybe we can still give us a try?"

"I would really, _really_ like that."

Leaning in, he brought his lips to hers, capturing them in a passionate kiss. The kiss last for a long, perfect moment before Ward pulled away, his breathing ragged. He leaned his forehead against hers and spoke softly. "I'm falling for you, Jemma."

"Good." This time she was the one to initiate the kiss.

…

Ward sat at the table, eating the lukewarm soup he had made. Simmons was still weak, so he had convinced her to go take a nap and recharge. Coulson was going to have a ton of questions for her once they returned from the cavern and she was going to need all her energy. Smiling into his bowl of tomato soup, he felt content. Happy, even. Happier than he had ever remembered being. Checking his watch, he realized that he had better get going if he was going to make the cave by mid-afternoon and help Coulson. But first, there was something he wanted to do. The bus was parked nearby - knowing Skye, she would have stocked up on gifts for Simmons.

…

The trip to the bus and back had been short, and he had been right about Skye - she had bought a bunch of 'get-well soon' gifts for Simmons. _She wouldn't mind if I 'borrow' one, I'm sure. Besides, the nearest store is miles away. _He had chosen a large stuffed hippo for Simmons, something soft that she could cuddle so she wouldn't feel alone when she woke up and he was at the cave. Scribbling a quick note, he laid both the hippo and the note at the door to Simmons's room. _Duty calls. _Irritated that he had to leave, he left it to the last possible second before he really had to leave to meet Coulson. _Sleep well, Simmons. I'll be back soon._

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><p><em>Please review! There's only one chapter left, so let me know if you want a sequel…<em>


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: This is the final chapter of my first fanfiction! It's been a lot fun, so thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the ending._

_If you are looking for some adorable Fitz/Skye fluff, check out "Just the Girl," a drabble series that I'm currently working on._

_Also, if you want a sequel, please review and tell me that. I will write one if I get enough people who would be interested =)._

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><p>"I just can't believe that it's all over!" Simmons boarded the bus, carrying the many gifts she had received from well-wishers (most notably her beloved stuffed hippo from Ward).<p>

"Director Fury is very pleased with your findings." Coulson told her as he walked on her left.

"That's slightly surprising," commented Ward on her right, "Since we never reached any concrete conclusions."

"You completed the mission requirements, though. We know that it is of alien origin and that it has massive destructive capabilities."

"But we still have no idea how to harness the power," Simmons objected, "so our results are useless."

"I don't think so." Smiling at them, Coulson said, "It's good to have the two of you back. We all missed you."

"Thank you, sir." Ward replied, "I know that we are both glad to be back. Anyway, I'm going to hit the gym - it's been far too long since I've put in a good workout."

"And I've got some paperwork that desperately needs my attention."

Both men walked off, leaving Simmons standing there, holding her gifts. "Okay," she said, speaking to the empty space beside her, "I guess I'll just go put these away and get over to the lab. See what needs to be done." She couldn't help but feel disappointed that Ward wasn't around, though. She didn't see him at all, the entire day. Fitz wouldn't let her exert herself, and the one time he did let her help, she messed it up completely because she was so hurt and distracted. _Why is he ignoring me after the moment we had last night? It makes no sense._

…

Returning to her room that night, Simmons was exhausted, mentally and physically. She wanted nothing more than to fling herself onto her bed and sleep forever. Wearily, she pulled the door open and dropped her bag on the floor. Then her jaw dropped open. There was a beautiful bouquet of red roses waiting for her on her bed. A smile lit up her face as she picked them up, inhaling their delicate scent. "Ward," she muttered, delighted. Pulling a green vase off of her shelf, she arranged the roses and placed the display on her small table. Turning back to her bed, she noticed a small white square on her quilt - a note? Picking it up, she read:

_Jemma,_

_The weight room. Tonight - 3am. I miss you already._

_~Ward_

Again, she couldn't help the grin the spread across her face. He hadn't forgotten about her.

…

"Finally - it's 3. Thank goodness." Sitting up, Simmons shut off her alarm before it even had the chance to go off. She had been much too excited to sleep. Dressing quickly, she crept out of her room and down to the weight room.

"Simmons. You came - I was hoping you would." Ward's voice greeted her warmly as she entered.

"Of course. I think you owe me an explanation." Her attempt to sound irritated at him was spoiled by her grin.

"Oh yes, I believe I do," he replied, his voice low. He walked towards her. "But do I have to use words?"

"Maybe a couple," she teased breathlessly. His proximity made breathing normally nigh impossible.

"Fine," he rolled his eyes, "I just don't want the others to know yet, before we can prove to them that our job performance won't be impacted."

"Oh." Simmons hadn't thought of that. "That's actually...incredibly smart."

Flashing her a grin that made her heart race, he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Does that satisfy the word requirement?"

"Oh, I guess it will do for…" Her sentence was cut off as Ward pulled her into his hard, muscled body and crushed her lips to his. Her hands immediately moved up around his neck; his entwined in her hair. Time seemed to slow down as they stood there, lost in their moment. He made her feel alive. Made her feel special - beautiful, even. Someone worth treasuring. "I'm falling for you, Grant Ward," she whispered in between tender kisses.

"Good," he whispered back.

Now was not the time to say it, but Simmons was allowed to think it in the sanctity of her own mind. _I might even be in love with you._

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><p><em>Thank you for reading, and please review, especially if you want a sequel!<em>

_~Caitlin_


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: Okay, this is a just a little scene set far in the future just for kicks and giggles._

_They will still be a sequel – it will be called "The Hole in his Armour" and will obviously take place before this final chapter, but enjoy this one anyway!_

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><p>"Okay, how do I look?"<p>

Ward looked up from his position on the bed where he was working on some last minute mission details and saw Jemma standing just in front of the door to the connecting bathroom. "Beautiful as ever," he smiled at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Grant, I mean it." Putting her hand on her hips, she tilted her body back and forth so that he could catch a glimpse of her and silky blue dress from every angle.

"So do I." Putting his laptop aside, he swung his legs off the bed and stood, walking over to her and surveying her with admiration. Her hair was styled in loose curls down one side of her neck, her lips were tinted a pale pink, and the dress emphasized her figure quite nicely.

"But I'm huge," she protested, putting one hand on her huge belly.

Grant's smile just widened as he knelt down so that he was eye level with her baby bump. She was eight months along now and was about ready to just be done with the whole pregnancy thing already, but Grant thought that his wife had never been more radiant in her life. "In the best way possible," he added, reaching out and gently stroking the fabric covering her stomach. "And it's not for much longer."

"I know," she looked down at him fondly. "I'm just sick of feeling like a whale."

"Maybe I like whales," he rose to his feet with a mischievous grin, wrapping his arms around her and holding her as close as he could with the baby in between them.

"You'd better."

Leaning in, Grant captured her mouth with his in a gentle kiss, carefully controlling the passion that he could feel rising inside of him. The SHIELD gala started in an hour, and they were the guests of honour after successfully completing a difficult mission.

She kissed him back, but then pulled away with a sigh. "My lipstick," she murmured, touching his lips with a gentle finger. "Sorry."

"I don't regret it," he winked at her, leaning in for a second kiss.

She laughed and dodged out of his embrace. "We have to go."

Rolling his eyes, he followed her out of their room, but he couldn't stop the smile spreading across his face.

Jemma did that to him – made him happy like no one else in the world ever could.

She was the love of his life, and he had been lucky enough to end up with her, forever.

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><p><em>Please review and check out the sequel!<em>

_~Caitlin51_


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